Information for students of the first year

Introductory excursion

Introductory excursions are arranged for the first year students of the Law Faculty at the beginning of the winter semester. Students are explained activities of the Library and described basic services, which the Library provides.

Registration in the Library

Every student of the Law Faculty of Charles University in Prague, who owns a student´s card, can be registered in the Library. This card also serves as the library card (this card enables to borrow and return books). More information about registration is available at the registration service.

Charles University Student Cards

Bearing the name of the University and its emblem (also in hologram form), Charles University (CU) student cards serve as evidence of the holder's relation to Charles University and to one of its faculties or other parts whose name is printed on the card. These chip cards, issued in several colour-differentiated types, contain personal data, a bar code, a photograph and a signature strip. More information.

Attending the Library

All users have to (before going through the electronic gate) give their coats and bags into a locker. Keys to lockers are available at the service counter against a student´s card.

Borrowing of literature

Students of the Law Faculty can borrow literature and other documents from the Library collection as:

charge out (home)

in-house use (only in the Library)

It is possible to borrow:

books – books with green labels are possible to borrow as charge out loans, books with RED LABELS ONLY AS IN-HOUSE USE LOANS!

Searching of literature

Complete information about documents in the library collection (information about location, possibilities of borrowing, etc) is available in the electronic catalogue, which is accessible through the website of the Library of the Law Faculty or from terminals in the Library.

In order to find a document it is necessary to know a location mark, which consists of:

Numerical collective code – for example 08.21 Roman law

Country code – for example CZ. Construction of the country code is based on international car registration numbers. The country code represents the country of origin of the book. Only group 09.0 (Languages) indicates contents.

Main heading – for example SkŘí. Main heading consists of the two initial letters of the author´s name and two initial letters of the title of the book. In case of a collective authorship, the initial four letters of the title are used. Main heading determines ranking of books of the identical group and provenience.

Numerical differentiations – e.g. SkŘí1, SkŘí2. Numerical differentiation is used, provided two publications could have the same main heading.

Number behind slashes, e.g. SkŘí/1 SkŘí//2. Number behind the simple slash marks indicates a sequence of a volume in case of multivolume publications. The number behind the dual slash indicates the sequence of edition. This indication guarantees placing all the volumes of multivolume publications together and placing all the editions of one title at one place.

Availability of study literature

Availability of study literature is traditionally the first nut hard to crack for new students. The Faculty Law Library is basically organized for studying in study rooms and only low percentage of documents can be borrowed out of the Library. Consequently, students must combine various possibilities, when they are looking for textbooks.

Further useful sources:

Copy service – there are three copy machines and one scanner (self serviced) in the Library, where it is possible to make copies of shorter texts or texts with limited availability (e. g. articles, essays, laws, etc.).

Services of other specialized libraries – references to their catalogues are available on the website of the Library in the section – Catalogues

Readers, who don’t live in Prague, can try to search documents in their local library

It is possible to buy literature in the bookshop Aleš Čeněk (in the building of the Law Faculty), opening hours: Monday till Friday 9-18

Students can acquire textbooks also by purchase from colleagues – particular offers may be placed on the notice board at the entrance hall of the Faculty or in section Discussion group on the website of the Faculty (sections Bazar skript – supply and Bazar skript - demand). By second-hand purchases we advise to have a look, if the textbook is up-to-date and relevant.

Basic information about the Library is placed at student´s disposal during the enrolment.

EVERY USER OF THE LIBRARY IS OBLIGED TO ACQUAINT WITH THE LOAN LIBRARY RULES.